As global fuel prices surge following the Middle East conflict and the near‑closure of the Strait of Hormuz , a growing number of governments are turning to fuel rationing and mandatory purchase limits to conserve supplies and prevent shortages. The Strait of Hormuz is a key route for roughly one‑fifth of the world’s oil, and the International Energy Agency has described the disruption as the largest supply shock in the history of the global oil market, with crude prices topping $100 a barrel.